By: Joe Kozma
August 21, 2016
Breaking Workout Monotony
Sometimes in one’s continual quest for fitness, health, and well being: we run into a wall, motivation wanes, workouts which were attacked with gusto, zeal, and enthusiasm become laborious, and the gym becomes a place we just do not want to be. We are are at a crossroads, this often in my experience is preceded by nagging injuries, which really can take the fun out of training. Ideally training should be fun and you should be in a good place when every workout is an adventure to be enjoyed. This is a mental state which can be reached by design, when we apply wisdom to our physical endeavors. Because wisdom is profitable in all things.
First, I will address how to overcome workout stagnation from a physical standpoint. Second, I will address workout stagnation from a mental, psychological, and spiritual standpoint.
Physically, we need to really change gears, I say, we need to get out of the gym and train outside if at all possible. The sunshine the wind, the beauty of the outdoors is motivating in and of itself. I will take you in words to this new workout location.
We have been doing conventional gym workouts, sets and reps. Not doing the same exercises and sequences but shaking those things up. But the gym has become a drag. So we shall go to the local park or high school which has two things, some bleachers with stairs, and a soccer or football field. We begin by walking lets say two flights of stairs on the bleachers, we follow it up with two sets of twenty pushups done at an angle, off of the bench seats. We repeat, repeat, …….repeat for about 45 minutes. Drenched with sweat, the last set of pushups, we go barely ten reps, the arms, chest, and shoulders are fatigued. So are the legs, butt, and calves.
We finish this off with three arm extended planks done in perfect form, holding each for 90 seconds while mightily flexing the abs. Now the upper body, is really fried, the abs have a nice little burn, but we are not done yet. We conclude this workout with ten twenty yard dashes on the field, followed by ten forty yard dashes on the field. Legs, butt, and calves, are toast…..as is the upper body.
Now we are are going to do only this four days a week for a while, until the micro injuries heal, and until we a marked increase in the physical abilities improved by sprints, stairs, and pushups.
Now back to the gym for a while. We go back to gym workouts, and we have that loving feeling back for Mother Metal, and Sister Steel.
Now during this time we read a book, I will not reveal the name of the book, as I consider it a trade secret of mine as a trainer, in increasing motivation. I will say that this book has never failed to set my heart on fire with zeal with regard to any motivationally oriented athletic endeavor. Spirituality should be incorporated into ones routine as well. Wisdom and Spirituality are beneficial for all aspects of life in my experience. You can use Spiritual reading during rest intervals in you training and kill two birds with one stone. These tools are very useful in creating an empowering state of mind which is an invaluable benefit in all aspects of life. May this change of gears, bring benefit to you, in all realms of life.
